Fiction with bite

Year’s End– My Favorite Book Read this Year

When the year is over, I like to reflect upon the successes and failures of the past year. I try to assess damages I’ve done, as well as be proud of my victories. But I’m not sharing those things here. Among the things I was most proud of accomplishing this year was interviewing several talented writers. Among them was screenwriter/ novelist Edward M. Erdelac, author of the book, Merkabah Rider; Tales of a High Plains Drifter.

This links to publisher’s page.

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In Merkabah Rider; Tales of a High Plains Drifter,the Rider hunts down demons for God, but that is only his side job. He’s been searching the American wild-west for his teacher who betrayed and murdered his enclave of Jewish mystics. This collection of four novellas tell about a spiritual gunslinger, trail-blazing and gun-smokin’ for God. How could anyone not like that character?

Loosely, each novella connect with the first and the last. Read this book and watch coolness appear before your eyes. Like the best horror stories do, this book carries a great message of good over evil.

I appreciated the first story for its complex layering. Artistically, Mr. Erdelac panned the deep dimensions of The Rider’s spiritual battlefield with a relatively quick dissection. It’s only a few pages and we’re quickly immersed in astral space, finding ourselves standing before the altar of demon lord, Moloch. Very soon, a little girl’s soul will be fed to Moloch unless the Rider can alter the outcome. This story had fluid action scenes similar to Robert E. Howard’s great tales of old.

Each story in this volume is better than the one before.

Having arrived in a town that is barraged by a perpetual windstorm, The Rider swiftly discovers something more is happening here. Not only has the town been overtaken by a bandit gang, but their leader has command over angry spirits and has turned the town into zombies. A few pages into the second story, the Rider plays a highly-suspenseful card game against two rough looking banditos. In this game, the stakes are life and death.

In the third story, the gun-slinging rabbi joins a Baptist Christian to stop a famous demon Jesus once dealt with. Will it be the Word of God, or the Son of Abraham to stop Legion and his army of loyal swine? This story was written fantastically well and possessed a very rewarding end.

The fourth story was my favorite in the book, and a very fitting end to an incredibly enjoyable read. I will say nothing about this one. It is so well done, I want for you to fully experience it for yourself.

I do recommend purchasing the paperback over buying the e-book. There is a much needed glossary at the end of this book. Unless, of course, you know the difference between a Poyo and a Tzitzit, or a Lili from a Mazzik, you might want to use the glossary.